Harborview dietitian Marilyn Shelton noted for nutritional support for trauma and ICU patients

Harborview dietitian Marilyn Shelton was honored for teaching, research, and clinical practice in nutritional support for trauma and intensive care patients.

Shelton is described as having extensive expertise in all aspects of nutrition support from her many years providing complex nutrition therapy for Level I Trauma Center patients, her participation in the medical center’s nutrition-related quality assurance and her nutrition research publications. She has advanced nutrition support practices by developing intensive care unit (ICU) protocols for nutrition support and by identifying risk factors related to the delivery of nutrition support.

“During her 28 years at Harborview Medical Center, Marilyn has been instrumental in establishing nutrition support protocols for critically injured trauma patients”, said Katie Farver, director of Nutrition Service at Harborview. “Ms. Shelton’s work has been used as a benchmark for the nutrition support of this patient population both locally and nationally”.

Additionally, she has provided outstanding, well-planned preceptorships for a significant number of dietetic and medical students training at Harborview Medical Center. Students who have completed case studies under her direction come away describing a how much they learned through the experience, rather than feeling overwhelmed.

Shelton has also provided informal, bedside and formal nutrition education to countless nurses, speech language pathologists, respiratory therapists, general surgeons and neurosurgeon, attending physicians and resident physicians. She has mentored many visiting dietitians in advanced level nutrition support. Additionally, she has provided significant leadership in her field by serving as a speaker and trainer at many local, state and national meetings on the subject of advanced level practice nutrition support.

Shelton’s approach to clinical practice has been described as “evidence based” long before the term came into common usage. She is known for having an unusual ability to synthesize the latest literature and disseminate key findings to her colleagues. As well, she is reported to have a tremendous sense of humor with students and peers.